Surgical Light Tracker
Problem statement
During surgery, one of the surgeon’s primary concerns is maintaining complete focus on the procedure. However, each time they adjust the overhead light to reposition it, they are forced to divert their attention and remove their hands from the operating site. This not only disrupts concentration but also poses a risk to sterility, which can lead to infection in the patient and even death. Since the light is positioned outside the sterile field, the only sterile part is the disposable cover on its handle. Repeated adjustments of this handle can degrade the cover’s integrity over time, and risk breaking the sterile field in a surgery. To address the issues of frequent repositioning and sterility, the development of a self-adjusting light is crucial. Our proposed solution, a proof-of-concept light equipped with articulated joints and a camera-based motion-tracking system, aims to enhance operating room sterility and reduce the distraction of manual light adjustments for the surgeon. While some may argue that such an advanced mechanism would be cost-prohibitive, 2018 study published by JA MA Surgery found that an average Californian operating room cost $37.45 per minute to run (JAMA). Over the lifetime of the light, the upfront cost of our proposed design will be almost negligible, and well worth the investment.
Team members
Henry Johnson – facilitator
Sarvesh Sakthivel – communicator
Jordan Lisowski – accountant
Ana Arenas – admin
Client
John White